Retraction statement from the authors of the MMR vaccine and autism link article

Ten authors of the research article that first suggested a link between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism have formally dissociated themselves from the idea. Although the original article published in 1998 in the Lancet made clear that there was no causal association, most of the authors accept that the possibility of a link was raised and consequent events had major implications for public health. The publication of the retraction statement comes only a few weeks after it emerged that the lead author, Andrew Wakefield, had failed to declare a conflict of interest that, had it been known, might have prevented the article from being published.

Lancet 2004; 363: 750.